


Withdraw

by kinneybaby83



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-07
Packaged: 2018-01-07 21:19:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kinneybaby83/pseuds/kinneybaby83
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, the cure can be worse than the affliction. Then again, the withdrawals can be worse still</p>
            </blockquote>





	Withdraw

**Author's Note:**

> Drugs are mentioned from sherlock past but nothing is recreational in the story. Written for a dear friend who was prescribed pills to 'help' and ended going through hell.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"John... John, are you quite alright?" Sherlock had been gone two days, and waltzed through the door triumphant on his latest case at about midnight.  
He hadn't expected John to be up. And he certainly hadn't expected to find him sitting up on the couch.   
Well, not so much sitting as balled up, knees pulled to his chest, arms hugging his legs.  
John looked up at Sherlock with large, glassy, haunted eyes.   
A different situation, and John would have been tempted to lie, say he was fine and Sherlock might not press the matter any further.  
But lying seemed a waste of energy.  
He shook his head, willing himself to calm down.  
"Nightmare, John? I know you still get them, but they usually aren't this bad..."  
It was a long moment before John spoke.  
"Not the PTSD. I was taking something to fight it, but the side effects were awful... I didn't realize the withdrawals would be worse."  
When he didn't receive any reply from Sherlock, he wasn't disturbed. In fact, he hardly cared at that point. Still, the soothing voice of his flatmate was welcome when it finally broke the silence.  
"How long have you been like this?"  
"About twelve hours. Should be getting through the worst of it now, but this... It's so intense, Sherlock."  
"Symptoms?"  
" No sleep, hot one minute and cold the next. Damn sneezing!. . . And the nerves. Every nerve in my body is... on fire! I can't calm them down. I've tried showers, tea, ev-"  
"John, lie down."  
For a moment, John just looked up at him with wide, bloodshot eyes.   
Without nod, without a word, he did as he was told.  
"Where is it the worst? Legs? Arms?"  
Before John answered, Sherlock was on his knees beside the couch as he began rubbing his large hands down John's pajama clad shins.   
A forceful touch, not rough, but a firm hand.  
John let out a small, shocked sound.   
His nerves were on fire! What was Sherlock thinking?  
But that sound changed to almost a moan.  
It felt... good.  
The crawling, exposed feeling under his skin started subsiding.  
"John?"  
"Everywhere. M-my entire body. Sherlock, that's bloody brilliant."  
John missed the small, happy grin forming on Sherlock's face.  
"Turn over, John."  
With out question or hesitation, he rolled over so his back faced Sherlock. Those long fingers began their dance on his shoulder blades down his spine, firm strokes pushing away all discomfort.  
John took a few deep breaths as he felt drowsiness court his senses, rather than flirt on the outskirts.  
"But, how did you know? I'm the doctor!"  
There was a moment before Sherlock actually spoke."You forget John. I've exposed to just about every kind of drug. Anything with opioids can affect your nerves that way. This is the only thing I found gave any sort of relief."  
"S'wonderful."John was almost asleep.  
Sherlock slowed his fingers and sat back on his heels. It would help for a few hours. Then he would be sitting here, waiting for when John need him again.John needed him. He chanced a moment to think on their relationship.  
 Sherlock wasn't so good with the... comforting... thing.  
But, as he listened to John's soft breathing, he decided maybe he wasn't useless, either.


End file.
